Beijing wins bid to become first city to host Summer and Winter Olympics

Beijing will become the first city to host the Olympics in both of its seasonal versions after it was chosen to hold the 2022 winter edition.

China was chosen ahead of Almaty in Kazakhstan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.

China and Kazakhstan were the only two countries left in the running after Oslo, Munich and Stockholm all pulled out due to public pressure surrounding financial and political issues.

Beijing plans to host ice events but snow based competitions will be held 190km north in Zhangjiakou in Heibei Province.

The Chinese city was viewed as the safer choice because of its Olympic history.

Kazakhstan is now Central Asia’s largest economy and was looking to use the event to raise its profile and increase investment in the country.

That will have to wait, as Beijing celebrates and again promises that they will be able to control their infamous smog.